local or international?? hurry!!
- 11-15-2004, 10:18 AM #17Banned
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Hey May
I didn't get your email yet but sure im always happy to meet new friends.
We have regular monthly playgroup sessions which im sure you'd be happy to join.
Shaz
- 11-15-2004, 10:48 AM #18Baby Guru
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About switching from Int'l to local. Forget it. It's possible the other way 'round, but most kids in "typical" local kindie have already been trained in writing characters, writing English words, and start having graded dictations in the second week of school. If your child has been in a much "freer" environment, he will have a hard time getting used to the regimentation.
If you're interested in alternatives in Cantonese medium - you might want to check out Yew Cheung (warning, $$$$) or Logos Academy in Tseung Kwan O. There's also the Hong Kong International Institute of Music, a new school that is said to have a more active learning approach and spend extra time on music education. It's in Diamond Hill. The website is here, but if you can'tread Chinese, will do you little good. :)
http://www.hkiim.edu.hk/main.html
- 11-17-2004, 10:09 PM #19Registered User
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Dear loupou,
This might seem stupid, but what do you mean " alternatives in Cantonese medium"?
As for Yew Chung i heard it's meant to be English & Mandarin, but b/c most kids are from HK family, they end up speaking more Cantonese than Mandarin anyway. *sign*...... i am still undecided, asking around & collecting everyone's opinion.
- 11-17-2004, 11:22 PM #20Registered User
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My son goes to a local KG (in Sheung Shui) but does not have endless tests and dictations, however, he does have a little homework. His Cantonese is now good now, having regained it in 3 months after an 8 month break in the UK. He also enjoys reading both English and Chinese. We also get a rebate from the government as we are on a low income. I understand there are a couple of good schools in the area. There is also an international (American) school in Fanling for around $3-4000 a month.
If you want your children to learn Chinese, then local is best, but choose carefully.
- 11-18-2004, 12:29 PM #21Baby Guru
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Mary,
I meant alternatives to the usual local regime of lots of tests and homework.
Roger, my kids went to local kindies through K3, not too many tests. Things changed A LOT when my daughter entered primary school. That's when the pressure really began. We persisted through P1 and P2, but then switched to an ESF because we decided that she would do better in a mother-tongue environment, and also because the burden of checking the homework, and keeping track of all the assignments and papers going to and from the school was too much for my husband. My friends whose daughters are still attending that primary school told me that the pressure has been ratchetted up another notch now that they are in P3.
If your child's mother-tongue is Cantonese, or one parent is a stay-at-home parent (or only works part-time), or you have a child w/ VERY good concentration, then you and your family might still be able to handle a "typical" local pirmaryschool using Cantonese medium. But otherwise it is very hard.
Some people asked me "why didn't you send her to a local school in English medium like DGS" simple answer - beacause she didn't get in.Last edited by loupou; 11-18-2004 at 12:36 PM.
- 11-18-2004, 01:43 PM #22Registered User
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I've already selected a kindergarten for my daughter and she will enter K1 next year. The kindergarten provides local stream class for Cantonese speakers and International class for Engish speakers. Since I think Chinese is more difficult for beginners than English and i do hope she can learn both Chinese and English well, I plan to send her to the local class of the kindergarten, and later to an English primary school. Is that OK? Actually now we speak Madarine and English to her, a English/Mandarine school would be perfect. But there is no such school near my home, and some in Kowloon Town are too expensive. So, if she will stay in the local class for three years, is it good for her to shift to an English primary shool and can she be admitted? Any advice and opinions are wellcome.
Vivian
- 11-18-2004, 01:58 PM #23Banned
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This is what most parents do, but as long as the child's English is up to scratch when they reach primary it shouldn't be a problem. Although the kids can loss one or the other language quite easily in kinddie, like my son who is now in english speaking kinddie, he speaks peferct english but rusty chinese after leaving the local kinddie last term. ESF school entrys are on english command basis as for the other styles likely english should be top notch for entry. I found that children who go to local kinddies (and although they speak english at home) there english is not as good as say a child who went to english kinddie. just what i have observed. good luck, it's not an easy decision.
- 11-19-2004, 11:41 AM #24Registered User
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My 2 cents worth: With upcoming China, I feel Chinese is impt for the future, esp. the simplified version. My daughter is 5 and she attends the Singapore Int'l School, which offers bilingual curriculum. I teach part time there as well.
The curriculum offers a fantastic plate for the kids in terms of play, studies and activities, both in English and Putonghua.Mong
www.meganmacy.livejournal.com
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